A Taiwanese company purchased 20,400 bottles of Lithuanian rum that China had refused to allow into the country in a show of support for the Baltic nation amid diplomatic tensions.
State owned Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corp said it bought the alchol from MV Group Production last month after learning that Chinese customs was denying permission for it to be imported.
” TTL stood up at the right time, purchased the rum and brought it to Taiwan, Lithuania supports us and we support Lithuania-TTL calls for a toast to that”, the company said in a statement adding that the liquor would be sold on the market.
China has been angry about Lithuania since Novernmber when Taiwan opened a representative office in the Baltic nation’s capital of Vilnius, a move Beijing says violated its one-China principal
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular press briefing in Beijing, he wasn’t a ware of the episode, adding that ” I can tell you that the Taiwan authorities’ attempt to maintain their space for Taiwan independence activities by dollar diplomacy is doomed to be in vain”
Few days ago, Lithuanian president Gitanas said, it was a mistake for Lithuania to allow Taiwan to open office in the country under its name, which has cost Lithuania relations with Beijing.
Gitanas says that he was not asked about the matter which has become toxic in the relationship between Lithuania and China.
Before the opening of Taiwan office in Lithuania, China had warned Lithuania of conseuences if it goes a head and opens the office , which it did resulting in this toxic relationship.
China so far has denied banning entry of Lithunian products to China although I don’t think trade relations between the two countries will continue if Lithuania doesn’t change as China puts it” Lithuania should correct its mistake and return to correct path of One-China principal, not create ‘one China, one Taiwan”.
The problem will be the sustainability since Taiwan is a small market, how long can Taiwan sustain the purchase of Lithuanian rum and what happens to other products that China refuses, will Taiwan buy whatever China refuses?. This an open question and probably the answer is no.
